Koyote member Shinji announced her marriage to singer Moon Won next year and held a meeting with the other Koyote members, raising voices of concern and worry. The attitude of Moon Won, which could not be hidden even in a short video, has become controversial, and the fact that he has already experienced divorce and his ex-wife is raising a daughter has also sparked controversy. Some have expressed concerns by mentioning the anecdote of Nancy Lang, a victim of a fraudulent marriage.
Shinji and Moon Won became romantically involved after connecting through a radio program hosted by Shinji. Their wedding was first revealed when wedding photos were captured, and the couple has officially confirmed their marriage for next year. Unlike the typical process of reserving a wedding venue first and then deciding on a wedding date before having a photo shoot, it is known that they chose to have the wedding shoot first due to their busy schedules with Shinji's new album, Koyote's new album, and the national year-end tour concert.
Following the news of Shinji's marriage, an outpouring of support has come in, and Shinji, encouraged by this, shared a video on her YouTube channel titled 'Who will take my Shinji?' where she introduced Moon Won to her Koyote members.
In the video, Moon Won said, "I have a story that might surprise you, but many people have come to know me as Shinji's boyfriend and fiancé. I didn't know Ji-sun (Shinji's real name) was such a famous person; I only saw her as a woman. So, I thought I need to treat her better and live earnestly."
He continued, "In fact, I had been married once before, and I have a lovely daughter. My ex-wife is raising her, but we communicate, and we both try to pay attention to each other for the child's sake. I knew that before we started dating. At first, I didn't know, but as things deepened, I felt I had to be honest."
Shinji stated, "I can embrace you because I like you. If my brother or Baekga finds out from a third party, I thought they might feel hurt. Anyway, it seems that this person's sense of responsibility looks good. It's not like they are ignoring it; they seem to care for and protect the child. I felt that this person could show me that kind of side as well."
The approximately 13-minute video of the meeting exceeded 970,000 views just 21 hours after it was released, and the comments surpassed 26,000, creating a significant buzz. However, the majority of the comments were negative. There were criticisms regarding Moon Won's statements about not being aware of the prominence of Koyote and Shinji, who are considered legends in the industry, along with concerns about his disregard for meeting etiquette and how he referred to his ex-wife.
Many were particularly disappointed by the fact that he hid his divorce and daughter. Some fans expressed their thoughts in YouTube comments and on Shinji's social media, stating things like, 'Who hides their lovely daughter up until the middle of a relationship?' and, 'I shouldn't date a man who needs me to explain for him.' Other comments included, 'If my best friend got married like that, I would actually cry,' 'It doesn't mean that I oppose him just because he has a child from a divorce.'
Among those was a comment that read, 'Sister, I'm a fan, but you really need to choose your man wisely. Dating and marriage are different.' Shinji replied with a short message saying, "Thank you."
Some even brought up the incident involving Nancy Lang. In 2017, Nancy Lang announced her marriage to Wang Jin-jin, who was said to be the illegitimate son of a Hong Kong tycoon. However, Wang's age, name, and claims of being a tycoon were all revealed to be false. Particularly, it was later disclosed that Wang Jin-jin had served several years in prison for special robbery and rape allegations, and was involved in the forgery of letters related to the late Jang Ja-yeon's case, common-law marriage, and was wearing an electronic ankle bracelet.
At the time, Nancy Lang held a press conference to defend Wang Jin-jin, but one year later, after alleging he had committed acts of violence while subjected to revenge porn, illegal confinement, and threats of murder, she filed for divorce. The couple ultimately divorced in October 2021.
On the other hand, there are reactions suggesting that concerns about Moon Won may be unfounded, given that there are anecdotes of him strongly supporting Shinji. On the 2nd, during a radio show where they appeared together, Shinji recounted past experiences of suffering severe stalking and mentioned that Moon Won stayed by her side, saying, "I'm known for not disclosing where I live as a celebrity, so I was really scared about how he found me. At that time, I was living alone, and even when we contacted each other a little, Moon Won must have felt it was too dangerous. So, he started to protect me and has continued to do so. For a while, it was very hard to go home, and every time Moon Won came over, I walked up the stairs carefully in case the stalker was hiding there. Watching him do that made me feel reassured."
Shinji debuted in 1998 as a member of the mixed group Koyote and has been beloved for 27 years as a long-lasting mixed group. With her refreshing personality endearing her to fans, many are expressing concern. Currently, Moon Won, who is less well-known compared to Shinji, is under scrutiny due to the controversy surrounding his attitude in the meeting video and the facts he concealed regarding his divorce. As worries are rising, some even recall Nancy Lang's experience of a 'fraudulent marriage.' Attention is drawn to what choice Shinji will ultimately make.
[Photo] SNS, video capture
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